Improvement in violins



S. B. SEXTON. Violin.

No. 215,023. Patented May 6,1879.

iz-HE- I- UNITED STATES PATENT FFIGE.

SAMUEL B. SEXTON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN VIOLINS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 215,023, dated May G, 1879; application filed March 18, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL B. SEXTON, of the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain Improvements in Violins, of which the following is a specification; and I do hereby declare that in the same is contained a full, clear, and exact description of my said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to means for facilitatin g the communication of the vibration of the strings to the face-board of the violin, for the purpose of increasing the volume of sound, and it consists in the application to the violin of an additional bridge, which is placed between a point directly over the sounding-post and the apron or tail-piece.

In the description of my invention which follows, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which Figure 1 is a face view of a violin embodying my improvement, and Fig. 2 a partly sectional edge view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in both views.

A is the face-board of the violin, I3 and C being, respectively, the back and the sides of the same. D is the apron or tail-piece, from which the strings extend to the head E. F represents the bridge ordinarily used, and which is located between the sounding-post and the finger-board. Gr is the secondary or supplemental bridge, which is placed on the faceboard, and located on the opposite side of the sounding-post, or between a point directly over the sounding-post and the end of the body, to which the apron or tail-piece is attached.

The supplemental bridge G is of such heightas to slightly deflect the portion of the strings between the tail-piece and the bridge F from a straight line between the said parts, as shown in the drawings.

It is found that the sounding-post practically divides the body of the violin into two sections, and that with one bridge only one of the said sections is utilized to its full extent as a sounding medium. By using a secondary bridge, as herein described, both sections are utilized, and the vibration of the strings transmitted directly to the ent-ire body, instead of directly to one section and indirectly to the other.

I am aware that a bridge has been placed on the finger-board, in addition to the ordinary bridge, and therefore do not claim a bridge so applied.

I am also aware that a bridge having four points of contact with the body has been heretofore used. In violins, the vibrations of the shorter portion of the strings between the tailpiece and the original bridge differ in character from those of the longer port-ion or section; consequently, the vibrations of both sections of the strings cannot be communicated to the body of the instrument through themedium of a single bridge, or such a bridge as is above named, having four feet, without a con- Jdict of sounds, in which the vibrations of one section neutralize to some extent the vibrations from the other section. By using my invention, the vibrations of the two sections are conducted separately and independently of each other to differentparts of the body, which are practically separated, and require, from their difference in capacity, a different character of vibrations, in order to effect a harmony throughout the entire instrument. I therefore do not claim a bridge having several feet resting upon the body of the violin, but,

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and wlsh to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

In a violin, the combination, with the ordinary bridge, of a secondary or supplemental bridge, G, located upon and in contact with the face-board A, and between a point directly over the sounding-post and the end of the body next to the apron or tail-piece, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

In testimony whereot1 I have hereunto subscribed iny naine this 14th day of March, A. D. 1879.

SAMUEL B. SEXTON.

IVitnesses:

Wn. T. HOWARD, JNO. T. MADnoX.

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